Billet grab
AssigneeAcme Machine Works, Inc.
InventorJames P. McManus
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A billet grab includes opposed grips that are movable toward or away from one another in a direction perpendicular to their lengths. One grip is provided with a plurality of identical cams pivotally mounted on it to engage the ends of billets or other objects having identical or slightly varying lengths and arranged side by side in a row. The inwardly biased cams accommodate the varying lengths of the billets or objects, which can then be lifted as a group. Frictional engagement between the inner cam surfaces and the ends of the billets or other objects assure proper gripping of each billet or object in the row as it is being lifted and handled. The cams are disengaged by spreading the grips apart from one another.
Claims18
An apparatus for simultaneously grasping and lifting a plurality of elongated objects having identical or slightly varying lengths and arranged side by side in a row, the elongated objects having transverse ends that are solid across a substantial width of the objects, the apparatus comprising:
- a pair of elongated grips positioned parallel to one another and mounted for relative motion toward or away from one another in a direction perpendicular to their lengths, the grips having opposed inner surfaces adapted to respectively face opposite transverse ends of the elongated objects;
- and
- the inner surface of at least one grip being provided with a plurality of identical cams pivotally mounted about an axis on the grip with the cams being spaced apart along the length of the grip, each cam being individually biased to an extended position spaced inwardly from the inner surface of the grip on which it is mounted and being individually movable toward the inner surface about its pivot axis in response to engagement of the cam against one transverse end of an elongated object, each cam having an inwardly facing surface for bearing against and engaging a solid transverse end of an elongated object.
An apparatus for simultaneously grasping and lifting a plurality of elongated cylindrical metal billets having identical or slightly varying lengths and a common diameter and arranged side by side in a row, the elongated billets having transverse ends that are solid across their diameter, the apparatus comprising:
- a pair of elongated grips positioned parallel to one another and mounted for relative motion toward or away from one another in a direction perpendicular to their lengths, the grips having opposed inner surfaces adapted to respectively face opposite transverse ends of the elongated billets;
- and
- the inner surface of at least one grip being provided with a plurality of identical cams pivotally mounted about a common axis on the grip with the cams being uniformly spaced apart along the length of the grip by a distance less than the common diameter of the billets, each cam being individually biased to an extended position spaced inwardly from the inner surface of the grip on which it is mounted and being individually movable toward the inner surface about its pivot axis in response to engagement of the cam against one transverse end of an elongated billet, each cam having an inwardly facing surface for bearing against and engaging a solid transverse end of an elongated billet.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.